The first-ever Eastern Caribbean Under-23 Men’s 3×3 Basketball Tournament, held in Road Town, British Virgin Islands, brought together six of the region’s top young squads to compete for regional glory and a coveted spot at this summer’s Central American and Caribbean Games. Among the contenders, Team Saint Lucia entered the tournament with high expectations as the pre-event second seed, but a series of hard-fought matches ended in disappointment for the four-man roster.
Made up of Sidney Didier of the Soufriere Kings, Junior Dupre and Jazaniah Blanchard of the Morne Gladiators, and Ajini Ferdinand of the Courts Jets, Saint Lucia faced two early preliminary round tests that put their semifinal hopes on the line. In their opening group fixture against Grenada, the Saint Lucian squad got off to a strong start, building a solid five-point advantage early in the contest. However, Grenada clawed back to take control of the game, closing out a 20-16 victory that secured Grenada the top spot in Pool A.
Saint Lucia’s second preliminary matchup against tournament hosts British Virgin Islands delivered another tough result. A 21-14 defeat to BVI erased any remaining chance for the squad to advance to the tournament’s semifinal round. Dropping down to the fifth-place playoff, Saint Lucia faced off against Dominica in a tightly contested battle that came down to the final minutes. Ultimately, Dominica pulled out a narrow 16-14 win, leaving Saint Lucia with an 0-3 record across all three of its tournament matches.
Despite the winless outcome, the Saint Lucia Basketball Federation highlighted the positive takeaways from the team’s first regional tournament appearance. Head coach Christus Michel offered praise for his entire roster, singling out standout guard Sidney Didier, who finished the tournament ranked among the event’s top 10 scorers. Michel emphasized that events like this inaugural championship provide irreplaceable value for emerging Caribbean basketball talent, giving Saint Lucian young players the chance to test their skills against top regional competition, build match experience, and grow both as individual athletes and as contributors to the growth of the sport on the island.
Beyond the on-court action, the tournament crowned its first champion when St Kitts & Nevis defeated St Vincent & The Grenadines 20-15 in the gold medal match. The title win earned St Kitts & Nevis automatic qualification to the 3×3 basketball competition at the upcoming Central American and Caribbean Games. Hosts BVI rounded out the top three, securing a bronze medal with a 17-13 win over Grenada in the third-place matchup.
In addition to the competitive tournament, the event also included professional development opportunities for Caribbean basketball officials and coaches. Coach Michel joined 3×3 certified referee Shadrack Theodore from Saint Lucia in taking part in a series of specialized training sessions and coaching workshops hosted in the British Virgin Islands alongside the tournament.
The historic tournament was organized by the Association of National Olympic Committees of the Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States (ANOCES), with the BVI Olympic Committee serving as the local host. Major sponsorship for the event was provided by Panam Sports, Olympic Solidarity, the Virgin Islands Ministry of Tourism, and the BVI Tourist Board, backing the effort to grow 3×3 basketball across the Eastern Caribbean region.